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Divided We Fall (Book 1)
Divided We Fall Divided We Fall is the first book in a trilogy, written by Trent Reedy, Author of ''Stealing Air ''and ''Words in the Dust. '' Publication Date: January 28, 2014 Synopsis In the not too distant future, the United States remains a starkly polarized nation. With wars raging in Iran and Pakistan, the economy in shambles, and political discourse increasingly hostile, the United States of America is a deeply troubled land. The recent passage of a Federal law mandating individual ID cards for all citizens inclusive of digitized access to personal information and GPS locating functions has drawn sharp criticism from several state governors. In Idaho the Governor has decided to revoke that Federal law in an act that serves as a flashpoint for violent protests and potential Federal intervention. Plot Seventeen-year-old Private First Class Daniel Christopher Wright is a typical high school senior. He plays football with his friends Eric Sweeney, Travis Jones (aka TJ), Calvin Riccon, Tim Macer and Becca Wells, rides bulls in rodeos, listens to country music, attends parties, and has a girlfriend, JoBell Marie Linder. When he joined the Idaho National Guard, he only wanted to serve his country and honor his father, who was killed in Afghanistan. Daniel gets a mobilization call on his COMMPAD from Staff Sergeant Meyers, a member of the 476th Combat Engineer Company to report to his duty station, 476th Engineer Company armory, no later than 1800 hours and must wear MCU- Multinational Combat Uniform. Daniel is then transported in a Chinook Helicopter. His team comprises of Specialist Shawna Sparrow, PFC Nick Luchen, Staff Sergeant Ron Torres, Sergeant Thomas Kemp, Sergeant Ribbon, PFC Henry Nelson, Specialist William Danning, Specialist Stein, and 23-year-old 2nd Lieutenant Chad McFee. Their orders are to control the protesters against the Federal ID Card. But all that changes one weekend in Boise, Idaho. The federal government has passed a law requiring all citizens to carry a national ID card containing medical records and a satellite-trackable chip. The Idaho state assembly and governor, who consider this an unconstitutional invasion of privacy, have voted to nullify the law. When the governor summons the Guard to Boise to manage a group of protesters, One of the protesters grabs the end of his M4 rifle, and Sergeant Meyers is forced to use his buttstock to hit the protester, breaking his nose. Lt. McFee orders the company to fix bayonets on their rifles. Since the riots were getting more violent, Lt. McFee orders the company to their masks on, because the CS gas will be dropped. Suddenly, Danny is hit by a rock and accidentally discharges his weapon, causing other Guardsmen to open fire. In the ensuing melee, twelve people are killed and nine wounded, and outrage erupts on college campuses and in cities across the nation. Meyers and Kemp get into an argument about who fired the first shot, until Danny confesses that he fired the first shot. The Guard soldiers are then visited by General McNabb and Governor Montaine. Danny attempts to cope with the guilt of starting the shootings by not leaving home and feigning sickness. However, he still returns to school on Monday. In the Beast, Danny picks up JoBell and he tries to tell her about his involvement in Boise, but is interrupted by JoBell ranting about the terrible soldiers at the "Battle of Boise" and the governor. When at school, Mr. Shiratori poses the class a question on the importance of learning about their government. JoBell, who is revealed to be in the running for valedictorian, answers with a jab at the governor. The class begins to have a discussion about the shootings at Boise and what the people there had been protesting about in the first place. JoBell raises the picture of Danny and declares that he along with the governor should be thrown in prison. When President Rodriguez demands that Governor Montaine turns over the names of the soldiers involved and begin enforcing the new federal ID-card law, a standoff ensues. The conservative governor vows to resist a federal government grown too big and will nullify the new law. Since nullification means insurrection according to Article VI, Clause 2 of the Constitution, federal troops are called in, and the crisis escalates. Main Characters Daniel "Danny" Wright: The main character of the Divided We Fall trilogy. JoBell Linder: Danny's girlfriend and a potential valedictorian. Becca Wells: Danny's childhood friend. Eric Sweeny: Another of Danny's friends. Calvin Riccon: One of Danny's friends. Minor Characters Travis "T.J." Jones: Danny's rival. Coach Shiratori Governor James Montaine: The governor of Idaho and supporter of the Idaho Guardsmen. Kelly Wright: Danny's mother. Schmidty: Danny's father's former buisness partner. President Rodriguez: President of the United States. He opposed the Idaho Guardsmen and was eventually assassinated. Sergeant Kemp: Danny's squad leader and friend. Lieutenant McFee: Sergeant Meyers: Specialist Sparrow Luchen Sarah President Griffith